Watch: Mushfiqur Rahim appeared apoplectic with rage after his teammate Nasum Ahmed nearly got in the way of him completing a routine catch.
The incident occurred in the 17th over of the second innings of the Banghabandhu T20 Cup eliminator, played between Beximco Dhaka and Fortune Barishal. Fortune Barishal were chasing 151 to win, with Afif Hossain 55 not out and looking like the key to the pursuit.
The youngster skied a chance off Shafiqul Islam to the Bangladesh keeper’s right, with Mushfiqur almost colliding with Nasum, stationed at short third man, as each went for the catch. What followed was extraordinary as Mushfiqur seemingly stopped himself just short of hurling the ball at his teammate from close range.
Even as the Beximco Dhaka team huddled to celebrate, Mushfiqur continued to chunter at the 26-year-old, with his rage bubbling over for the rest of the chase. In the penultimate over, ESPNcricnfo’s ball-by-ball coverage described his anger at an erring bowler.
“Another back of length delivery outside the off stump,” read the description for ball 18.4. “He pulls it to wide long on for a boundary. Mushfiqur is angry with the bowler. Which captain wouldn’t be, though? Repeating the mistake from the previous ball and he is allowing Barishal’s hopes to come up.”
Even when Shafiqul claimed a wicket with the next delivery, Musfiqur wasn’t satisfied. “Back of a length wide outside the off stump,” ESPNcricinfo said. “He pulls it straight into the hands of the fielder at deep midwicket. Mushfiqur is angry with the bowler for the length bowled. The bowler, for a moment, says that he pitched it wider. Instead of celebrating, Mushfiqur is letting it go at the bowler.”
In the end, Beximco Dhaka triumphed by nine runs. Whether the result was enough to placate Mushfiqur is anyone’s guess.
Watch the Mushfiqur catch and the angry reaction which followed:
Calm down, Rahim. Literally. What a chotu 🐯🔥
(📹 @imrickyb) pic.twitter.com/657O5eHzqn
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 14, 2020